Imperial Dunes

On Tuesday we took a drive to the visitors centre to pick up some tourist information and also took a quick tour of the historic downtown and the farmers market.  We were told that whatever we do we have to have a Date Shake.  So off we trudged to find a the shake that would shake our world, ha, ha.  Well low and behold it was every bit as tasty and filling as we were told.  The old historic downtown is only about 2 blocks long and on Tuesday the street is closed off for the farmers market.  I think we will make a return visit, if for no other reason than to enjoy lunch on one of the many street side cafes and perhaps a date shake for dessert.

Standing in front of the old post office enjoying my date shake.



















On Wednesday we headed to California which is on the other side of the Colorado River and basically on the outskirts of Yuma.  The Imperial Dunes are just a few miles over the border and run north for more than 40 miles.  More than 127,000 acres of wind-sculpted sand are open to off-road vehicles and the occasional hiker.  The dunes can apparently reach over 300 feet high and are constantly shifting from the wind.  We climbed one of the dunes and it was 1 foot up and 6 inches sliding back down.  If you remember the Star Wars movies this landscape may look familiar.  Some of the scenes were shot out in the dunes.

 Camping in the dunes requires a pass for $35. p/w but services are limited to the pit toilets you see in the picture.  Despite the lack of services there are lots of RVs pulled over and parked in the middle of nowhere, most with dune buggies in tow.

 These were Lori's footprints where she walked up the dune just a few minutes earlier.  Doesn't take long for evidence of your presence to be obliterated.

Thats highway 8 running west towards San Diego.  Snow clearing equipment isn't required but they must have to use graders or street sweepers to keep the highway from getting devoured by sand.

Here is the All American Canal which runs from the Colorado river into California.  There are numerous canals like this so its no surprise the river never reaches the ocean.

 Later